Hello quilty friends!
I has been a while and I will be the first to admit that it is entirely my issue. I haven't been as present as I would like to be, but here is a chance to change that!
Last year I spent a lot of time and energy making. I found myself getting pulled into a lot of different directions, sometimes simultaneously, and frankly, I was pretty worn out by the end of the year. I felt a bit like a squirrel running around in a bunch of directions and not really accomplishing anything I set out to do, and then just felt completely overwhelmed by all of it.
Let me tell you, FOMO is a hard one for me.
So now, as we have started a new year, this is a chance for me to take control. I spent some time sitting down and writing out my goals for the year, then looking at what actionable steps I can take to get there.
Number 1 - I want to create content that is valuable to you. If you are here, then I want it to be something that you can find benefit from. So what does that mean? Mostly, it means you can expect to find more activity from me in my blog and in my emails. I have a series of free tutorials, downloads, and patterns planned throughout the year. I hope that you'll find these helpful and bring you a little more joy in your quilting journey.
Number 2 - reduce waste. I get overwhelmed quickly with stuff around me. I tend to buy fabrics and notions without a specific project in mind, then it builds. This bit has two parts. First, My scrap stash builds and my bins overflow and there are so many things I want to do, but just don't find I have time to do them. So I have some scrap specific projects planned to get a handle on this stash. Second, because I have bought so much and over the past few years, I am going to do my best to shop my stash first. When I need to purchase, I'm going to try to shop secondhand, deadstock, and thrift first. As I've been organizing as the year begins, I've found that my tastes have changed and there are fabrics that I have that I really don't see myself using them. This means you can expect a destash sale coming up soon.
Number 3 - create for joy. I definitely burned myself out a bit last year with the release of 7 patterns. I didn't intend that many but somehow it happened. There were projects I sat aside to focus on some other new priority that I want to get back to. So this year, I am going to focus on fewer pattern releases, but work to do a better job showing you these new creations in the best light I can. I want to show you more versatility and more samples and different settings - and I want to slow down a bit and enjoy them. Sneak a peek at the first pattern coming - this is Loony and it was exclusive to Wildflower Quilt Co as part of the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop last year - I am expanding the pattern to include ore size options and will have more soon!
I have some business specific goals for myself too. And if I manage myself well, the efforts I make in my personal sewing and quilting journey will help grow those as well.
So there it is. Happy new year to you and thank you for being here with me!